Real Weddings: Alexandra Bertrand & Roger Wieland

May 22, 2014 07:55PM
● By Anonymous

The Fashion. The bridesmaids all wore Alfred Sung cocktail length bateau neckline dupioni dresses—with pockets!—in pearl pink, paired with silver patent leather peep toe sling backs Bandolino. The bride wore Blue by Enzoani—an organza ball gown with a ruched sweetheart neckline and spaghetti straps. “I wanted classic, elegant, no fuss,” Alexandra says, “and I was careful not to choose strapless…I didn’t want to have to worry about [pulling up] my dress. I wanted to feel like a princess.” Alexandra had the original beaded applique removed and a custom made light pink satin sash tied with a large bow in the back, added. To complete the ensemble, she added a chapel length veil with Alençon lace trim.

The I Dos. Alex and Roger married in front of 145 guests. “After breakfast at home, I thanked my girlfriends with gifts—pashminas and sterling silver bracelets. Then we got ready and took a limo to the church,” Alexandra says. “As we joined hands to pray in the rectory we could hear my neighbor’s voice singing a hauntingly beautiful rendition of ‘Ave Maria.’” After a seated ceremony, they took formal photos with their families before boarding a trolley to City Dock and the Academy grounds for more photos.

The Reception. For their celebration the couple opted for “casual, nautical, and charming.” Votives and twinkle lights lit up the tented dock of the quintessentially Annapolitan Annapolis Maritime Museum, and mason jars of light peach Juliet roses, white lisianthus and daisies, Dusty Miller, and Babies Breath adorned the space. On each table was a French baguette and bottles of wine—a nod to Alexandra’s French roots—atop burlap runners. “A server was assigned specifically to us to ensure we never went without a drink,” Alexandra says. “The service was impeccable, the setting gorgeous, the weather ideal.” One of Roger’s cousins, who was to be a groomsmen, was deployed during the wedding but made a cameo via life-size cutout, with a talk bubble that guests filled in with phrases like, “Could not miss this!,” “Sleep easy tonight, I’m protecting you,” and “Let’s dance!”

The First Dances. For their first dance, the couple chose Talking Heads’ “This Must Be the Place.” “We wanted our parents to be a special part of this occasion, so we began with Roger and his mother and me and my father,” Alexandra says. “Then we switched partners so that I was dancing with Roger Sr., Roger danced with my mother, and his mother and my father paired up. We ended dancing with one another and then our DJ mixed a more modern version of the song by Miles Fisher to invite all guests to join the dance floor.”

The Music. “We spent significant time selecting our music,” Alexandra says. “Our fabulous DJ blended the electronic sounds of Passion Pit with more acoustic numbers by Mumford and Sons, throwing in nostalgic beats from the ‘80s and as far back as the days when Franky Baby reigned.” After cocktail hour, the party made its entrance into the main room to Earth, Wind and Fire’s, “September.” After the speeches, Alexandra’s cousin—a recorded singer/songwriter—played an original song written for the occasion. Once the party was started, it didn’t stop. “At one point,” Alexandra says, “the DJ asked if I wanted him to play a few slow songs to give our guests a rest. I thanked him for asking and said ‘absolutely not, keep doing what you’re doing.’”

More Details. For dessert, the newlyweds served French crepes with berries and whipped cream, in addition to a small round buttercream cutting cake. The couple had asked all married guests to submit wedding photos, which they printed in black and white and attached to a sail rigged in the museum section of the building. “We wanted to honor the sanctity of marriage and celebrate the long lasting relationships that have made Roger’s and mine so rich,” Alexandra says. For the guest book, they chose for a coffee table book of Annapolis. In addition to the sunglasses, the couple got permission from the museum to use the logo to create their own design on koozies used for favors. (The design was also used for their invitations and on their wedding website.) At the end of the night, the two left on a decorated eCruiser for Pusser’s dance floor where they continued the party. The next morning, they gathered for brunch at Alexandra’s parents’ home.